


A Dish of Figs

by Mossy_Moondark



Category: Original Work
Genre: Ancient Rome, But this is the Ancient World here, F/M, Gladiatrix, Graphic Descriptions of Rape, Graphic Rape, Just So We're Clear, Murder was a bit more wibbly wobbly back then, Non-graphic Murder, Period Typical Homophobia, Period Typical Misogyny, Possibly descriptions of (mild) sexual torture Idek, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Slavery, This is not Snuff-fic, Violence, off-screen non graphic Animals in Peril
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-22 05:22:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11373423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mossy_Moondark/pseuds/Mossy_Moondark
Summary: There is no such thing as pure pleasure; some anxiety always goes with itOvid





	A Dish of Figs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [maypop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maypop/gifts).



> There's lots of Latin in here, much of which I'm sure I got wrong.The names OMG the names - I think I did okay.Ish.
> 
> Clothing: Braccae (breeches), soccus (leather house slippers), palla (a long, wide scarf like a pashmina or stole), chiton (long womens tunic sewn at the edges, secured with pins or buttons along the shoulders)  
> Villa: triclinium (dining room), cubiculum (bedrooms, offices), peristylium (orangery, inner garden courtyard)  
> . exedra (small garden room)
> 
> Soldiers: pugio (large wide dagger similar-ish to a Kris or Bowie knife)

"You're pretty when you're all spread out," rasped Gaius Tullius, a bead of sweat rolling down his face.

Claudia turned her head away, ignoring the narrowed eyes and open mouth of the soldier holding down her left arm.

The day, her penultimate day at the villa, had begun with such promise. The sun had called to her quite early that morning, so she had risen and given her thanks to the Gods, exercised and taken extra long with her bath. She had treated herself to two oilings, the first with plain oil, using the strigil with ruthless efficiency to wipe away the excess as well as the sweat and dirt. The second oiling was more of a massage, the oil scented with bay and chamomile and rose petals. She had taken her time, glorying in the privacy of the walled exedra. Given that the villa was perched high on the hill, its nearest neighbor nearly a stadium away, and the back of it where the exedra and triclinium faced only open air to the valley below - yes, she was perfectly content to sit naked in the sun and pamper herself. 

For once, she had taken the time to treat her hair, too, washing it thoroughly with dark red clay from Carthage, a bag of which she had been given for her name day gift by Leila. A surprise, that. It seemed to Claudia that her mother was softening as she grew older and less capable of entertaining the men who went to her establishment. Well, not less capable so much as less desired. In any case, Claudia had soaked the clay in water with a handful of fenugreek and a roll of cassia bark overnight before straining the seeds and cassia. After rubbing the mask throughout her hair and against her scalp, she rinsed it well and then massaged her scalp with oil scented with oppoponax. A bit more through her hair, finger combing, then a final combing with her wide toothed ivory comb, a gift from a matron who had the most marvelous grey eyes. At the time Claudia had been too tired to take advantage of the offer of a home visit by said matron, but the comb really was very nice, and she would have to make some sort of counter offer to show her appreciation. 

Now all washed and oiled, she had wrapped a white scarf around her hips and tied it securely, plucking the ends of the fine gold body chain from the waist a moment later. Her hair was still damp, which was perfect. Slicking her hands with a it more oil, she divided her hair into sections and got to work. Within a few minutes she was coiling multiple braids around her head, pinning them in with thin ivory sticks topped with tiny gold bees, a gift from a young virgin with stars shining in her eyes as she shyly gave them to Claudia. Feeling carefully around her head, it seemed there was nothing out of place, but without a girl to look for her, she really had no idea. It didn't matter any way, she had two more days off and intended to use them only for her own ends. For now, she had an entire villa in which to entertain, should she decide that's what she wanted. Which she didn't. Her plan was to bathe and eat and sleep and study, not necessarily in that order. She still had to exercise and visit Julia and the girls, give her own gift to Silvia, and bring a basket of dates and oranges to Leila.

Her day had been going so well, even her lunch of leek and celery soup with fine bread and quince paste, and a baked apple for a sweet, lighter fare than she was used to, yet delicious nonetheless. From the triclinium to the peristylium, where she lay down on a bench and closed her eyes, only to be woken by the girl just as the sun was lowering in the sky.

"Miss, miss, you have a guest, a man!" whispered the girl, glancing over her shoulder as she spoke. 

Before Claudia had a chance to rise from the couch, a man in a traveler's tunic and cape entered the peristylium, followed by a soldier out of uniform. The man's eyes widened when he caught sight of her, which almost made her smile. Then again, what did he expect, bursting into the room without even telling her who he was?

"Afer Gaius Aulii," said the man, his voice dry and nasal. "The Senator Aulus Gaius Tullius requests and requires the presence of the mistress of the household."

A senator? Here? Now? Claudia rose, noted with some amusement the twitch of Afer's eyelids. Well, what did he expect, bursting into a room without even a proper introduction? Thank Juno the girl was lazy and had left Claudia's palla on a nearby seat. She retrieved it and tossed it over her shoulders, tying it loosely behind her back, covering her breasts in the process. Afer watched her throughout, as did the soldier, his stance easy. 

As soon as he saw she was ready, Afer led the way back to the atrium. 

Gaius Tullius had his back to her, but turned as soon as the three other soldiers with him shifted their gaze to her. He was a tall, beardless man, with short, sandy hair. His eyes were the color of a pale morning sky, and his smile, ruthless. "The mistress of the house, surely, Afer?"

Afer bowed slightly and stood to one side. 

"Claudia," she answered with a slight curtsy. She was no lady, she didn't have the refined manners of a woman who never left her family's domus, but growing up in a brothel had certainly lent her the ability to entertain, even if only for a few minutes.

Gaius Tullius glanced around the atrium with a raised eyebrow before turning back to Claudia. "A meal is required for my men and myself."

"Of course. I'll tell the girl to prepare a feast."

"Unnecessary," said Tullius, dropping his cape onto the floor. "A simple meal of hearty food shall suffice."

This time Claudia bowed, and walked as quickly as should manage without seeming to be in haste, to the culina, where the girl and her mother would hopefully already be making dinner. Even more hopefully, there would be plenty to go around.

Task completed, Claudia went to her room to dress more appropriately, then sat on her bed and listened hard. The villa was oddly quiet. Once, she thought she heard a whisper of sandal on stone outside the door. It wasn't until the girl scratched at the door that she got to her feet and, taking a deep breath, went to the triclinium. 

"Come, sit," drawled Gaius Tullius.

The villa was small. Small enough to only have three couches in the triclinium, a center table laden with food. Afer faced Tullius, while the third couch was occupied by one of the soldiers, a heavy set bald man who eyed her with no little desire. The three other soldiers were nowhere to be seen.

For the first time, she felt a frisson of apprehension.

She was confused. Where, exactly, was she to sit? A question answered by Gaius Tullius when he tapped the empty space in front of his hip. For a moment, she simply stood there. The three men stared back at her, the solider beginning to grin before she broke out of her trance and did as directed. She perched uneasily on the edge of the couch, well aware of being the object of all the attention in the room.

"Now isn't this lovely," said Tullius, sitting up slightly to take a fig from the bowl. He split the fig open with both thumbs, staring at her until she felt she had to look at him directly in the eye, had to acknowledge his attention. He smiled, then, gazing at her and lickeing the dark pink flesh of the fruit while juice ran down his wrist. 

Claudia felt her cheeks heat. Her palms flooded with perspiration and a flight of butterflies too home in her belly.

"What do you do when you're not here, Claudia?"

With one simple question did Claudia understand his game. She was not to entertain him or his guests, she was to be his entertainment. Maybe he knew what she did for a living, maybe he didn't, that wasn't important. He already knew who she was, or suspected. No proper lady would have allowed him into her domus, not when she was undressed, not in a domus this size. No proper lady would have only one or two servi, one of them but a slip of a girl, and certainly any lady would have already sent for her nearest male relative to protect her honor and her virtue.

"I'm a Gladiatrix for Maximus Atellus."

"Ah, of course," said Tullius, wiping his wet fingers on her palla. "I knew I'd seen you before. You fought the wild boars."

She had, and had been lucky to escape with only minor cuts and scratches. Wild boars were vicious in temperament, and even though fighting wild animals was her least favorite, she had ultimately triumphed. Besides, Cornelius Phagitus was a very good doctor, laving her legs and arm with heavily salted water and applying comfrey compresses, one following the other without end for ten days straight.

"Have to keep you pretty, eh?" Maximus had said. "And since you've done exceptionally well, I've decided to let you have a little break. You're going to the mountains near Thermae Himerensus. Just up the valley, past hills dotted with little villages, lies a villa perfect for one or two people. You'll be alone, all by yourself apart from a cook and a girl. Relax, enjoy yourself away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Take time to reset your mind, try the Gods for help, sacrifice a lamb in their honor. No, you can," he said, shaking his head at her unspoken protest. "I've already paid for it, it's waiting for you."

She had left the city that very afternoon. It was all very exciting, her first time away since childhood. At first she had looked for things to occupy her time, but by the third day she had accepted there was nothing to do except laze, and she was very good at that. Two days yet remained; even if the senator remained for the duration of her stay, she was determined to get the most out of the time left.

"A gladiatrix," repeated the solider, helping himself to a date stuffed with feta and nuts before being stewed in honey-wine. "Perhaps she should put on a show."

Claudia's mouth watered at the sight of the dates; they were her favorites out of all the delicious things she had been fed.

Tullius laughed, and awkwardly, so did Afer. "Yes, definitely a show. You used your net - "

"It's a weapon for a woman," interjected Afer. 

Seeing how the smile no longer reached Gaius Tullius's eyes, Claudia was quick to note how Afer shrank in to himself. Mastered, then, truly. It did not bode well for her own success for the evening, though she would be happy enough to leave in an instant if he but said so.

"Women in Gaul and Germania and Brittania fight along side there men," said the soldier. He took a sip of wine, then continued. "Saw it with my own eyes."

"Our decent Roman women aren't barbarians, Pansa Vibius," admonished Tullius, though it seemed to Claudia he was greatly amused by the idea. Or maybe he thought Roman women really were barbarians.

Vibius made a quick, sideways tilt of the head, as if to say, _You're wrong, but I can't be bothered to correct you_.

Claudia kept her gaze down and her hands in her lap. Tullius had taken to running his hand up and down her back slowly, as if she were a cat to be petted, or a horse to be admired. No, she was no lady, but her childhood in _Amor Vincat_ had taught her many things, one of which was no matter how civilized a man might be, he would always take what he wanted, when he wanted it. She didn't like Tullius, she didn't like his soldiers, she especially didn't like how he spoke about her as if she wasn't even there, practically sitting in his lap. 

"See how still she sits, Vibius, yet how tense she is under my touch. It's almost as if she doesn't appreciate the attention given to her by a wealthy man."

Vibius's shoulders shook. "Maybe a man's never had her. You know what they say about gladiatrix, always ready to fight a man. It's unnatural."

Which made no sense, given the barbarian women he had been so admiring of only a few minutes before. While she debated whether or not to correct him, Tullius thrust his hand between her legs, pawing at her softest parts. She slapped it away without thinking.

In an instant, his expression changed. The easy smile dropped away without hesitation as he struck faster than she would have thought him capable, grabbing the braids pinned to the back of her head and yanking her across his legs. She gasped in surprise, pain lancing through her neck as well as her lower back. She immediate reached up to pull his hands away, only to be slapped hard enough to shock her into momentary stillness. A heavy weight dropped across her ankles, leaving her immobile.

"You don't hit me, ever, do you understand?" he hissed into her face.

She nodded, tears coming to her eyes as his grip in her hair tightened.

Tullius put his other hand on her throat and lightly squeezed. "I want to hear you say it."

"Yes!" she rasped, taking another deep breath.

"Stand up," said Tullius, pushing on the back of her head.

The weight came off her feet, leaving her able to collect herself and stand, Tullius right next to her, Afer in front of her. Vibius the soldier continued to recline on his couch, rolling two walnuts together in one hand. Master and servant changed places, with Afer moving behind and Tullius in front, Afer holding her arms tightly by the wrist. 

"Now let's have a look at you," murmured Tullius, reaching down to grab a knife from the table. First he pulled off her palla, tossing it to one side, nearly on top of a lamp, and then he set the knife to her belt. "I know, it would be so much easier to untie the belt, but where's the fear in that? I like a little bit of fear in my women. I like it when they tremble at my touch."

As much as she wanted to think she wouldn't tremble, the truth was that all of her experiences in the brothel amounted to nothing in the face of what was happening to her now. Yes, of course she had been sold to the highest bidder for her first time, an old man who had been gentle enough with her, or so she had been told, after. He was more than able to get it up, though she thought he might die from pleasure when she had ridden him the second time, later than night. There had been no second man - well, there had been an attempt at a second man, but he was too rough and she had punched him high on his cheek, breaking it like a stick broke under foot. Far from the punishment Leila had promised, Julia had merely nodded and told Leila that her daughter was bound for something greater than lying on her back.

"No one's going to come if you scream, so scream all you like."

Instead of simply pulling the pins along her shoulders, Tullius flicked them off with the tip of the knife, the pins pinging metallically as they hit the walls and the floor. The chiton fell from her body, leaving her bare. Even though it was not a choice of her own making, Claudia felt oddly ashamed. It was the strange way Tullius looked at her, his anticipation at whatever he was about to do. He stepped back, one corner of his mouth curling up.

"As I thought, a delicious sweet morsel for our dessert. Did you know, Vibius, that in Cyrene and Mesopotamia, sweets are considered medicinal? One eats them after every meal, and look what we have here, our very own sweet."

Tullius came closer and put his hand between her legs again, cupping her sex. She couldn't help it; the slightest sound escaped her.

When she was in the arena she tried not to show fear, and for the most part that was easy enough to accomplish. Animals were predictable; all they wanted was to be away from her, away from the screaming crowds. She didn't like fighting animals, after all, they were only frightened creatures who had no choice in fighting for their lives. It was the reason she trained so desperately to move up the ranks: a human opponent could reason, could think, and therefore was all the more dangerous. Show fear to another human and you had already lost the game.

Which was why she knew she was doomed the moment she allowed that tiny sound out.

Tullius's eyes narrowed. "Yes, that's it," he said, pinching her nipple hard. "This pretty body is mine to play with. You're nothing but a slave, a woman sold to the gladiator school like the property you are. I bet you were too fierce for whatever whorehouse you come from. Vibius, get Otho and Spurius, leave Rufus on guard."

Claudia closed her eyes, swallowed. Hot and cold flashes swept over her skin, leaving her flushed one moment and freezing the next. She knew she was supposed to be stronger than this, but her heart, oh, her heart wasn't sure she could contain herself. Anything could happen to a gladiator and frequently did. Dormius Aculeus was missing several fingers and an eye, while Vitus Servilius lacked an entire arm, and was scarred all across his legs from the whip he himself chose to learn. And those were only the ones who had survived their service. Which was what she fully intended to do. If she was lucky, she might be able to buy herself out and retire early instead of being fodder for younger, stronger, hungrier gladiators. Tullius pinched between her legs and she reacted without thinking, jerking away into Afer.

"Hold still!" Tullius commanded, holding her by the hip and shoving his fingers into her mouth, making her cough. "You're too dry, like an old maid left alone too long, and I know you're no maid. But I know how to make you run," Tullius's eyes gleamed as he backed away. "Otho and Spurius can do what they want, so long as she's left whole for me. Afer, come, I want a bath."

Claudia was immediately surrounded by the soldiers she had seen earlier. Afer released her but there was no chance for escape. The soldier in front of her was tall and black haired and his delighted grin spoke more than any words. She was surrounded by men, and once they began to touch her, she made no protest. 

There was nothing she could do.

There were hands on her body, fondling her breasts, stroking the insides of her thighs, petting her arse. The man behind her mouthed her neck while the one in front of her rolled her nipples between his finger tips. 

"Fuck, it's been so fucking long," said the man behind her, drawing back a little.

"Otho, it's been two days," said the other man, quirking a disbelieving eyebrow.

"So? Your point being...?"

"Gaius Tullius said she's to be whole, you can't take her."

"Spurius, you're so gods-be-damned literal. Don't you know there are other ways to get what you want?" he said, and spat. "Now you, you keep your legs tight."

Claudia felt sudden wetness high between her thighs as Otho wiped his hand up. 

"Cross your feet, yeah, like that - "

She understood what he wanted a second later, when he pressed his prick between her slickened thighs. With her feet crossed she lost her balance and fell against Spurius, who made a sound almost of disgust. Which was laughable. 

"I'm disgusted," she said, unable to help herself now that the Senator was out of the room. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. I'm a gladiatrix, I've fought better animals than you!"

"All you need to do is shut the fuck up," muttered Otho, his hands hard on her hips. "Spurius, shut her up before Gaius Tullius hears."

"Just let me go," she said, because she felt she had an in, now. "They won't know I'm gone unless you tell them!"

Spurius laughed. "Right, a little girl like you overpowered me and Otho and oh yeah, the Centurion, too? You could break Afer in half with a look, but you ain't getting past the three of us."

Truth be told, she had forgotten Pansa Vibius was even in the room. She couldn't see him around Spurius's body. Not only that, her view was further blocked by Spurius, who was lifting his tunic and undoing the ties of his subligaria. 

Spurius shoved her down to his waist. "Now make it good."

His musk was strong, the black hair at his groin thick, and that was all the view she got before he took her by her hair and forced her forward.

"If you use your fucking teeth I'll knock them out and choke you to death on my cock, so open your mouth and suck."

She swayed back and forth between the two of them, her mouth full, her back aching from the position she was in, even though she was holding on to Spurius's tunic for balance.

Claudia tried to concentrate on what she was doing, instead of listening to their banter. The sooner she could get them off, the sooner the night would be over. Doing what she was told wasn't difficult. She sucked hard and stroked Spurius fast at the same time. 

"Mithras, she's a got a mouth on her - "

She lost track of what he was saying, because she abruptly became aware of how her position put Otho's prick not only between her thighs, yet nearly between her nether lips, too. His fast jabs had her body loosening, her legs wanting to spread - oh _gods!_ The thought took her by such great surprise that she lost her rhythm, leading to a hard punch on her shoulder Spurius that left her skin stinging. 

"Keep it up, or I promise you'll regret it."

With renewed vigor, she went back to working on him, trying to keep her legs even tighter at the same time. The last thing she wanted to feel was pleasure at the hands of her own rapists.

"Oh - oh - oh yeah!" 

Otho's hips stuttered against Claudia's arse. Wetness spattered against her belly, and then bitter salt swept into her mouth as Spurius silently reached his own peak. She tried to pull away and spit the foul mouthful into the floor, but he took the back of her neck in both hands and kept her firm on himself. She pushed futilely at his legs, and eventually he let go, leaving her to collapse on the seed smeared floor and cough. Swallowing again and again to get the taste out of her mouth, she paid no attention to the goings on in the room. If anything, she wished she could just stare at the tessarae making the cornucopia on the floor, look for flaws and wonder anew at the skill and talent it took to lay it in the first place.

"Your turn, Centurion," Spurius said, clearly well satisfied. "She must get a lot of practice on the other gladiators, she could suck a crab's meat right through its smallest leg."

"With any luck we'll get a turn at the real treasure once the Senator's done with her," said Otho, just as equally ready for more. "What do you think our chances are? Does he like to, y'know, hog 'em?"

Through the braids now tumbling around her face, Claudia looked up to see Pansa Vibius get up from his couch, idly spitting something over his shoulder. He slowly approached Otho, arms folded.

"I suggest you rearrange yourself and send Rufus in for his turn. Spurius, you go with him."

Otho, who was darker skinned than herself, had gone dead-eyed. Claudia realized that without the others to hold him back, there was a good chance she might not leave this room alive. Though she'd give him the fight of his life in the process.

"Come on," said Spurius, clapping a hand on Otho's shoulder. "Rufus doesn't know what he's missing." 

"Sir," Otho said sullenly, turning his back to Pansa Vibius, though not without kicking Claudia's shin on the way.

She scrambled to the nearest couch, putting her back against it and wrapping her arms around her knees to massage her shin. Refusing to look at Pansa Vibius, she only watched his feet as he paced back and forth. He was well named; his feet splayed wide.

"Well, little net, you're in for a long night of it. If you want my advice, you'll act up a bit more. Gaius Tullius wasn't lying when he said he likes his women scared. He likes them in pain, too. I've seen him do things that would make all the hair on your hair fall out."

Claudia turned away from him so she could only see him from the corner of her eye. She had seen plenty at _Amor Vincat_ , women with black eyes and bruises blooming black on their ribs, boys with bright red rings on their shoulders from where they had been bitten, crusted infections in unwashed parts of the body. 

"He once sewed a woman up before taking her, then left her to his men. They all had her, even after she was dead. I saw him fuck a woman in the arse while she was stuffed with a thick carrot in front. Had her screaming until he put her palla in her mouth, sawed on it like a horse's bridle. He likes it when you struggle, and you being a gladiatrix and all...you're perfect. "

Right then and there Claudia resolved to bring new meaning to the word 'struggle'. He wanted a fight; she was going to bring it to him. In fact, she would start with Pansa Vibius.

Claudia slowly uncurled and, using the bench for support, got to her feet. Facing Pansa Vibius

For a brief moment she was embarrassed by her nakedness, then decided it was unimportant. Vibius had had his fill of her already; there was no reason to be ashamed. 

Assume a good stance, that was where one always began in the arena. She crouched slightly, arms loose, her hands balled lightly into fists. She balanced on her toes, aware of the strain of doing so on her shin and then dismissing it. Pain was pain, she would make it better after she won.

For his part, Vibius smiled slightly, but he was a smart man, his gaze wary as he, too, turned sideways, presenting a slimmer profile to her.

"Well, isn't this marvelous."

Claudia darted a glance towards the triclinium entrance; Gaius Tullius stood there, wearing only a subligaria and soft red soccus that slouched around his ankles. He was surprisingly well built, muscular, with a shaven chest. There was movement - Claudia leaned out of the way, but Vibius was as fast as any gladiator she had faced in practice, just brushing her jaw with his fist. She struck back equally quickly, a powerful pop to his chin that had him stumbling backwards. 

Torn between following up and keeping an eye on the Senator, she hesitated, then went for Vibius anyway. She landed a few more blows, mostly to his upper body. He was a large man with the build of Vulcan the Smith, and though he kept ducking and making little attempt to protect himself, Claudia was under no illusion that she was doing him any great damage.

"Come on, Centurion, finish her off," called Tullius. "Or should I send my soldier to help you defeat this slip of a girl?"

Claudia couldn't take the time to glance at Tullius again, preferring to pay attention to the man in front of her. Nonetheless, she was distracted enough to miss Vibius's shift in weight. There was no way she missed his solid punch.

White light was all she could see for a long moment. 

Time turned to syrup. 

Queer, intense pain erupted in her upper jaw, and spread down her neck as her head was forced nearly over her shoulder. 

Though she understood what was happening to her, she still couldn't move her feet out of the way of her discarded palla, and then the wall came up and bashed her in the face. 

When Claudia opened her eyes again, six people were standing over her. They stood still, yet moved, as if she were looking up underwater. Even their laughter sounded strange, wavery and low pitched like the large sea shells she had once heard blown into during a play. She blinked, blinked again. Two of the men bent over and spoke to her, but she couldn't understand them. 

The men shook their heads, and then she was being half dragged, half lifted to a softer surface. The room swam; she turned her head to one side and vomited a little. After some time, her limbs being moved this way and that, her hearing returned.

"You shouldn't have hit her so hard, Vibius," admonished someone...she knew his name. Tullo? Tertius? Tacitus?

"Sir, did you see what she was doing to me? She's harder than she looks."

"She's a gladiatrix, man."

Claudia was thirsty, she wanted water.

"What? Water? You want water? Afer, go fetch a bowl."

Heavy hands were upon her; she batted at them ineffectually. Her legs were spread so her knees were over the edge of whatever she was lying on, her arms outstretched above her head. It wasn't comfortable, she pulled down but her arms wouldn't come down. "Le' go me," she slurred.

"Let go? Oh no, my pretty, I can't do that."

Something was touching her sex, probing touches that weren't uncomfortable, yet she didn't like it. 

"Look at how wet you are, how ready you are for me. My soldiers were good, they didn't fuck you, so you'll be nice or me, hmm? And just look at these tits, Vibius, have you ever seen a better pair? Nice and fat, nipples as ripe as berries."

Shaking her head to clear away the fog was not at all helpful. In fact if anything, it only served to make her even more dizzy. Oh, she felt so strange. Tired. In pain. She closed her eyes to see if that would help, and instead she felt as though she was floating in a sea of black nothingness. Sudden warmth and weight covered her, and her breasts were being mauled. It felt kind of good. 

"See, Vibius, she wants me, just like I knew she did."

"Sir."

"Ah, perfect."

The weight rearranged itself away and then there was a shock of cold water in Claudia's face. She gasped and tried to twist away, her heart pounding. 

"Ha ha!"

She was lying on her back, on a couch in the triclinium, the table still laden with uneaten food. Senator Gaius Tullius sat astride her, grinning while he watched understanding come back to her. Afer stood to one side, his gaze narrow, visibly swallowing as he looked at her. Pansa Vibius was at the head of the couch, bleeding a little from the corner of his mouth. She had done that - he acknowledged her look with a wry little nod before standing up. Why had he been - oh. He had been tying her wrists over the top of the couch with her palla.

Tullius was loosening the strings of his subligaria when she looked back at him. The cloth was tented - she had to glance away, but she could still see him out of the corner of her eye. When he finally stood up a little to push them down, she had to swallow. His cock was easily the length of a toddler's forearm, massive, thick, heavy, dusky purple compared to the rest of him. He was clean shaven here, too.

"Go on, take a look," he said, giving himself a stroke. "This is going to be inside you, making you shake and scream. You can't get away, you're at my pleasure now and I'm going to do whatever I want to you."

Claudia's breath came short at the thought. Her lovers had always been kind, or fearful, she had never been quite sure. They followed her lead, and while Cornelius had been rough with her, he knew not to take it too far, for he was a gladiator as well and knew not to do anything so severe as to keep either of them from the arena. Mergus Pinarius had preferred to be tied up at her mercy, and though he had once suggested doing the same to her, she hadn't been interested. Now she wondered if maybe she should have taken him up on his offer, just so she could know what to expect.

Tullius put his hands under her knees and pulled her towards himself, stretching her out until her shoulders ached. He flexed his hips, rubbing his prick between the lips of her sex. He shook his head. "You're so eager for me, aren't you? Otho likes a dry ride, he told me so himself, but he also likes them young, younger than you by some years. Likes 'em fresh, likes to be the first one to sheath his sword, make a woman of a girl. Me, I don't much care one way or the other. Willing or unwilli - "

His voice dropped away, all sound dropped away apart from the rush of Claudia's blood. Sweetness was gathering in her belly, now, which was the last thing she wanted. She watched Tullius's face, the way it tightened with lust as he gazed down at her crotch, and when she looked, she was ashamed to find the sight aroused her as well. He said something to Pansa Vibius, who simply shrugged. She glanced at the skirt of Vibius's tunic, but couldn't tell whether or not he was erect. The couch where she lay had a good view of the triclinium. A cup lay sideways on the table, its wine spilled on to the floor. Afer lurked in the entrance, staring at the scene - at her - with avid eyes, one hand under his high tunic, fondling himself. The frescoes of Pomona and her maids, of Jason, of Poseidon, stared back at her unperturbed.

Tullius pointed his prick, then leaned on his hands and slowly entered her. The burn was immediate. Tullius was big, and she wasn't ready, and although she tried to twist this way and that, she had no leverage.

" - it, that's it, take it, take it, take it," chanted Tullius under his breath, his eyelids heavy as he fully seated himself within her.

Claudia didn't even try to keep the tears from coming. They rolled down both sides of her face, but that was all she was going to allow. She wasn't going to sob, like some of the wannabe gladiatrix's who discovered that Maximus truly did own them in all ways, and not just in the arena. Besides, Tullius had stopped moving, and she was beginning to adjust. He was the biggest she had ever seen, the biggest she had ever had, and between _Amor Vincat_ and the school's bath house, she had seen a lot.

Tullius bowed over her torso to suck and paw at her breasts. From the first touch of his tongue to her nipple, lightning lanced from her chest to her sex. At the first scrape of his teeth, however, Claudia whimpered. This only spurred him on, for he openly began to bite, leaving half moon red marks all over her breasts, and leaving her squirming. He wrapped his arms around her back, lifting her so that she was half-sitting in his lap, her upper body almost horizontal. Someone laughed hoarsely, which was when Claudia realized her hearing had returned. "Stop it - stop!"

Tullius raised his head, his mouth and chin shiny with spit. "Stop? Whyever should I stop?"

Claudia gritted her teeth, which only served to make her headache worse. Her stomach roiled with nausea.

"Tell me," Tullius said, sitting up. Holding her hips tightly in his hands, he gave her a hard thrust. "Why should I stop, eh? Such a tight cunny, Vibius, fuck, I'm not going to last."

"Ngh," was Claudia's only answer. He was so big, so hard…he felt so good.

"Oh, you like that, eh? How about some more?"

Within seconds Claudia closed her eyes, turned aside to hide her chagrin. Not only was she helpless to make him stop, but with every stroke he felt better and better. She wanted to move - oh Venus, goddess no, oh - oh - no, anything but that - oh!

"She's going to come," said Pansa Vibius, his voice very close to Claudia's face.

Upon hearing this, Claudia bit her lip in an effort not to cry out again.

"Distract me, Vibius," huffed Tullius, speeding up his thrusts. " _Do_ something - "

Claudia heard the rustle of fabric, something clanked on the floor, and when she opened her eyes she was faced with bare brown thighs framing another enormous cock. This one bobbed in front of her face, and just like Tullius's, it was thick and well veined. A drop of clear liquid oozed out of the bulbous tip and slowly fell to the floor. 

"She likes what she sees, look at her licking her lips!" crowed Vibius. "Fuck, I'd suck it myself if I could reach it."

"You don't get it sucked nearly enough," muttered Tullius, frowning at Vibius before groaning. "Gods be damned, the pull of her cunt is unbelievable!"

She wasn't - it wasn't possible - she couldn't do it, her mouth wasn't wide enough.

Pansa Vibius stepped over the couch to straddle her chest. Up close, the hair between his thick thighs was tight and curled. With one arm braced on the back of the couch, Vibius guided his penis to her mouth. "You know what to do, and don't think of keeping your mouth shut. I'll punch you again and fuck your throat until you choke. I'll fuck your arse until you can't walk straight, I'll give you to Otho afterwards. He likes broken women just as much as he likes breaking them."

Claudia frantically nodded, opening her mouth as wide as she could. The head of his prick barely fit between her lips. Terrified he would knock out her teeth, as Tullius had promised to do only a little while before - or had that been Spurius? She could no longer remember. Vibius grabbed her loosened braids and pulled them down, the weight and size of his cock forcing her lower jaw open even as her head tilted back. She was familiar with this act, at least, had seen enough of it done in back alleys and in the arena enclosure after a match, when everyone was still in the mood to kill something, anything, and sex was a good enough substitute. 

Vibius pushed down and hit the back of her throat, ignoring the way she choked for air, how desperately she pulled on her restraints. Instead, he pulsed his hips, short little strokes that she could handle if he wasn't so far back in her mouth. 

Claudia finally gagged enough for her stomach to truly rebel, and that's when Vibius pulled back far enough for her to both vomit once more and then gasp for breath. Chest heaving, she sucked air in like a horse on run until it was done, sweat pouring down her face. He only gave her a few seconds to recover before putting his prick back in and starting all over again. This time she was better prepared, and did the same thing she had done to Rufus earlier; she sucked as hard as she could.

Vibius proved to be just as good a distraction for her as he was for Gauis Tullius. Tullius slowed his movements, which in turn meant Claudia no longer felt the terrible build up of pleasure. Which was a great relief. She was not enjoying this rape, she would not enjoy this rape, she did not want this rape. 

"I bet she's as good with her mouth as she is with her pussy," said Vibius, without any strain whatsoever. He could have been reciting a poem, for all the passion in his tone. 

"I'll find out later," Tullius said breathlessly.

If only she had the use of her hands, she would make Vibius a lot less calm. As it was, all she could do what lie there and take what he was giving to her until he was done. Even as the thought crossed her mind, he sped up, his strokes becoming shorter and deeper. Finally he pinched her nose, grunted and stilled, leaving Claudia with mouthful of semen. More than a mouthful; it oozed from the corners of her mouth to mix with the tears still coming down her cheeks. She needed more air - all she could do was swallow. 

"Mm, good," said Vibius, obviously well satisfied. He lifted his leg and moved back to one side of the couch. "I'll try her cunt when you're done."

"You do that," grunted Tullius, right before he caught sight of Claudia's face. His eyes widened almost comically, and then any control he might once have had was completely gone. 

If Claudia had thought she had gotten away with not feeling any more pleasure, Tullius set out to prove her wrong.

He redoubled his efforts, grunting with every stroke, holding her tight to keep her in place. Maybe if he had taken her from behind, like an animal, maybe if she couldn't seen the grimace on his face, how red he was turning, the way he looked as if she was the only thing having in his entire _life_ \- maybe she wouldn't have started to respond. Or, rather, if Vibius hadn't made her move about like a wild thing in an attempt to breathe - maybe, maybe, maybe.

"No," she protested weakly, squirming.

Tullius, being the man he was, understood what she was saying immediately. "Yeah, you're going to come on my cock, you're going to come and - there's nothin - you - "

"No, no!" Claudia cried, still trying to deny the cramp deep in her pelvis, how tight her nipples were, the trembling in her thighs.

"Unh!" Tullis looked like a madman, now. His mouth hung open as he panted, and sweat dripped from his forehead. His grimace had turned into a rictus of almost-pain, baring his teeth. He shifted forward -

Claudia wailed as pleasure swept through her like a ship tossed by stormwaves. She jerked helplessly, broken open as Tullius continued to pound into her. 

And then he groaning and twitching, hips thrusting to an uneven, staccato beat against her.

With a sob, Claudia finally drew in one breath, then another. Tullius sat back, letting her slump against the couch, aware of the ache in her shoulders and wrists and quite frankly unable to care. For awhile they simply recovered, staring at one another.

"Well," Tullius slowly shook his head, glanced at Vibius. "Maximus was right. She was worth every aureus I paid for her. Possibly more."

Maximus?

Vibius poured a cup of wine, and another, offered it to Tullius. "I agree. "

Tullis raised his eyebrows, snorted. "It's not your money, but I'm glad you had a good time."

"What can I say, I appreciate the good things in life."

_Maximus?_

"Don't we all," answered Tullius, sipping his wine. He rolled his head on his shoulder, looked over both shoulders, rolled his head again. "Rufus! Tell me, have you ever had a woman?"

The young soldier came to attention, blinking. "Uh, sir, yes sir."

"Really?"

"Uh, no, sir. Sort of, sir."

Tullius nodded towards Claudia. "Come over here."

"Sir."

Claudia tried to close her legs, but Tullius slapped her knee, so she remained how she was. Semen was leaking out of her, and a ring of fire was starting between her legs.

"Go on," said Tullius, scooting off the end of the couch. He stood and stretched, cock still half erect. "Have a go if you like."

Rufus looked at Tullius, then at Vibius, then back to Tullius. "C-can I? Really?"

Tullius gestured widely with his cup of wine. "I'm feeling generous tonight."

Licking his lips, Rufus removed his belt and outer tunic, revealing an under tunic, belt, pugio and braccae.

Tullius looked at Vibius, incredulous. "Braccae? Are you Roman soldiers or barbarians?"

Vibius shrugged. He pushed dishes out of the way and sat down on the table. "They're convenient in cold weather."

"If you say so. Jupiter above, what's he doing now?"

Claudia was wondering the same thing. Spurius was on his knees, and had pushed her leg up to her chest, opening her wide. It wasn't the most comfortable stance she had ever been in, but given what had happened so far, she wasn't going to complain.

He spread her wide with one hand, probed her with a couple of fingers, looking at the resultant slip with interest. Licking his lips again, he ducked forward and put his mouth on her, making her inhale sharply. His tongue was cool and soft and wet and felt good.

"Where's he from?" stage-whispered Tullius. 

"He's a local from Thermae Himerensus, but he's been to Aquitania," Vibius answered. 

Tullius frowned and sat on one of the other couches to watch Rufus. "I've never seen a man do that. Women in brothels do it to one another, sure, but a man? It's not _natural."_

Claudia almost laughed. Men loved a faceful of cunny, and paid handsomely for it. Tullius might be experienced in the ways of rapine and murder, but he certainly was ignorant of what really heppened between men and women. The best thing she could do was show her enjoyment; she wasn't even going to need to pretend, for Spurius knew what he was doing. With a sigh and a moan of admiration, she rolled her hips and let the delightful feelings wash over her.

oOo

She woke out of exhausted slumber. Rain was falling outside, a gentle pitter patter of water against stone. A cool breeze came in from a window somewhere, almost cool enough for her to back into the warmth at her back. For a little while she simply lay there, wondering what to do. 

Eventually, she quietly and slowly moved from under the arm around her waist. At least the pallet was on the floor - that meant she was in one of the unused cubiculi, otherwise she would be in her bed - and that meant there was no rope to twang, no swaying of a mattress, no wood to squeak when she got out of the bed. Crawling from the pallet, she didn't look back to see who had taken her last. There was little point. There was only one man of the lot whose prick was small, and that was Afer, the last to be offered a go. He was only a secretary, after all, and Tullius obviously didn't like him. Why Tullius would keep around was no business of hers, but it did mean the others slept in the rooms with beds off the floor. 

The night had been long. Vibius had taken her from behind, as had Tullius, while Otho had her on her knees, her face mashed into the floor, holding her wrists behind her back. Spurius laid with her face to face, her knees up around her ears, and finally Vibius made her suck him off, spraying her face at the very end. After all that, when she was tired and sore and did anything they asked, because she was too stunned to think of anything else, they had given her to Afer, who stirred her with a tiny stick she could barely feel, coming almost as soon as he entered her. 

She couldn't remember what happened after that, except he was angry, blaming her for being too loose, and that it was Rufus who kept Afer from kicking her in the cunt after he punched her, breaking her nose.

It was raining, and she was naked. Claudia snuck back into the room and took the pale cloth on the floor that she had spied earlier. Silently tiptoeing into the atrium, she ghosted past the other cubiculi to the vestibulum, trusting the other men were sound asleep. The gods were with her, for no one stirred, not even when she removed the bolt for the front door and slipped into the night.

As it turned out, she didn't get very far. 

Claudia put on the cloth - it was a man's tunic, ludicrously wide on her without the belt - and ran up the road. Up, further into the hills, instead of down towards the main road, because that's what soldiers would expect an escapee to do. She couldn't really see, but that didn't matter. What was important was that she put as much room between her and Gauis Tullius and Pansa Vibius and all of them, all of them. 

By the time the sky began to lighten from black to grey, Claudia could no longer feel her feet or her fingers. She shuddered with cold, strong shivers wracking her from head to foot. A stone marker stood at the side of the road, which was now little more than a muddy track. A grassy path led around the crest of the hill, so she took it with no other thought in mind beyond getting off the track. 

A few minutes later the rain ended and the sky grew to a paler grey. The grassy path led her up, then down, then around until she thought she was on the track again. Unsure of whether to continue on or not, she stopped, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering so hard she almost fell. 

Something nudged her thigh. Heart in her throat, she startled so badly she actually did fall to the ground, only to find a horned, floppy eared goat staring curiously at her. It bleated. More goats appeared behind it, all of them staring at her and bleating.

"Hoy, hoy, what's this?" someone called. "Goats, what are you doing?"

This was it, she was done for. Claudia couldn't move.

A girl, probably no more than eight or nine, waded through the goats, pressing them to one side with her staff. She looked curiously down at Claudia too, but she didn't bleat. "Who are you?"

Numb, all Claudia could do was shake her head.

The girl looked her over carefully, her gaze lingering on Claudia's swollen nose. "I'm taking the goats home, if you want to come."

It took Claudia all of her remaining energy to get to her feet and stumble after the girl. Hours seemed to pass before Claudia found herself in a long hut, wrapped in a blanket, a fire in front of her, a bowl of hot soup with an precious raw egg cracked into it in her hands. The girl, whose name was Gudrun or some other equally foreign name, was the spitting image of her mother. Long yellow hair, thin eyebrows, full lips, eyes the color of a spring sky. Her mother, who on the other side of the fire, was wrapping bundles of fresh leaves together. They were the size and lengths of Claudia's little pinky, and though she didn't know the word Gudrun's mother used - her name was Lina, and she spoke with a strong accent that Claudia simply wasn't up to deciphering - she knew exactly what the woman was preparing.

Lina rolled the bundles in a scrap of fabric and came around the fire to hand them to Claudia. Looking at Claudia sternly, she mimed chewing well, then spitting into her hand. Spreading her knees a little, she then mimed sticking the chewed mass far up between her legs, then patted her belly while shaking her head strongly. Claudia nodded, holding the bundles to her chest with one hand. If it didn't hurt so much, she would have burst into tears. She knew better, however; this wasn't her first broken nose. Nonetheless, she was immensely grateful. Chew the leaves three times a day for a week, stuffing them inside for a few hours after. It wasn't a guarantee, of course, but mothers didn't become gladiators.

She couldn't eat any more of the soup. Putting it to one side, she wrapped the blanket more tightly around herself and stared into the fire, trembling from shame at how much she pleasure had been rung from her. Maximus had set her up - _he_ had done this to her, and for what, money? To make her fight harder? Because if that was the case, she had a thing or two to show him. 

He hadn't remade her, as he liked to boast in the arena. _"I take you, I break you, I remake you as gladiators!"_ he was fond of shouting at the new recruits and slaves. But she had survived, hadn't she? As did so many women and not a few men. She would continue to survive, as long as she made her way from Thermae Himerensus, go to Syracuse or Agrigentum or even off Sicilia altogether.

Yes...that's what she would do. She would leave Sicilia, train as a gladiator somewhere else. Maybe - maybe she would go to Britannia, or Germania, and learn to fight as the women there fought. The thought was daunting, but why not? There was nothing to keep her here and so many reasons to go.

But first, she would recover. She would heal. 

And then she would find Maximus, and pay back his favor in kind.

**Author's Note:**

> I did the fastest edit in the world. 
> 
> Hope it all makes sense.


End file.
